


With Each New Game

by InkWitch (serkestic)



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 01:04:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4415051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serkestic/pseuds/InkWitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Making a family, making a home, all of life is just another game, isn't it? Both Makoto and Rin know how to win and lose; and how to, with each new game, grow a little stronger.</p><p>[contains sickening domestic fluff, parent!makorin, rarepair sideships, and judgmental babies.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Happy very very belated birthday, Aditi my love!** To compensate, here is your prompt multiplied by your age and drowned in penance in the form of disgusting, tooth-rotting, incoherent domestic fluff. I can't believe you made me write MakoRin when I literally cannot write MakoRin.

The Tachibana-Matsuoka residence had a new tenant.

"You know, you're gonna have to pay rent," Rin told the squalling one-year-old squirming in Makoto's arms. Makoto shot him a look of mingled despair and amusement as the baby let out a fresh wail, as if offended. Rin grinned and forced himself to keep in character instead of cooing.

"You make a solid case," he said to the baby still glaring at him like he'd stepped out of line, "I guess we can waive the first few years for you. Let's shake on it."

"Rin," laughed Makoto.

But the deal was signed, sealed and shaken on with utmost decorum. Rin looked at the tiny fingers gripping his index finger near the knuckle. Her hold was tight, as if the baby was actually trying to intimidate him. Her fingers were so small and soft, thought Rin, to have such strength in them. Hidden strength in an unassuming figure. It could only mean one thing.

 _You belong with us_.

Rin told her, "You're too beautiful to charge rent from," and she gurgled.

"I agree with that statement wholeheartedly," pronounced Rei. He kept taking off his glasses to wipe his face; he could not take his eyes off of the baby for a second. Behind him, Gou nodded vigorously as she snapped picture after picture of the baby, sometimes angling Makoto and Rin into the shot, but mostly focusing on her niece. She zoomed in on her face just as she put Rin's fingertip in her mouth and bit on it.

"Jeez, kid, relax!"

"She's probably trying out her teeth," commented Sousuke. So far he'd done a good job of seeming disinterested and casual, but everyone noticed that he'd placed himself next to Rin and within convenient reach of the baby. It was a day of celebration though, so everyone pretended to ignore it. "It would be pretty funny if she turned out to have teeth like you, Rin."

"Oi. How about you shut up."

Both Rin and his daughter turned to fix Sousuke with a glare, though one was annoyed and the other was deeply judgmental. It was unfair but the baby looked like she was deeming all of them unworthy while simultaneously enjoying their presence. Rin approved of her high standards.

"It's kinda weird though," said Nagisa. He was wiggling his fingers over her face and snatching it away as she grabbed for them, his smile dialing up each time she laughed. Rei was cooing under his breath. "She really does look like Rin-chan is her dad, huh?"

They all looked at her. It was almost magical, how she was only one year old and already had rich auburn curls sprouting in a mist around her tiny head. She stared back, cheeks pink and eyes wide open, defiant. There was force behind her gaze even at her young age.

"Sunset colours," murmured Makoto. He laughed when he noticed them all looking at him. "Her colouring," he said, drawing her closer, "she and Rin are both sunset coloured. That's why they look so alike."

Rin knew no one would notice because they were all busy looking at the baby but he couldn't help staring at Makoto's smile as he gazed on their new daughter. It was unusual, thought Rin, it looked like he was hiding something. Like he was afraid of being discovered. And although Makoto always hid some part of himself from the world, to share at his disposal, his smiles always gave instead of taking.

"That sounds right," murmured Haru. He smiled at the baby and turned his notebook around to show her his work. She grabbed at it, the picture of her with her parents. Rin saw Makoto's smile twist and felt his own throat tighten; they touched the backs of their hands subtly, a deep profound feeling settling over them. Rin's tears threatened to spill; but he didn't want to  _cry_  right now, he wanted to  _say_ something, to Makoto, to his daughter, to his friends standing around them as guardians of his happiness. But what could ever be the right words?

"Welcome home," said Haru and Asami's laugh rang out, clear and bright.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Rin is like pulling my teeth out so I really hope this is good enough to be worth it.

At one in the morning, like clockwork, Asami’s cry rang through their apartment, waking them and also their nearest neighbors. Makoto rolled over and poked Rin in the back, sighing when the only response he got was a wriggle and a grunted “It was my turn last.” Charity did not exist in their home in the early hours. Knowing this fact, however, did not stop Makoto grumpily wishing otherwise. He sat up, shivering when his feet touched the ground. Asami’s wail was building and would soon reach dog whistle pitch.

She didn’t stop crying when Makoto picked her up but thankfully, _did_ lower her volume. Small blessings, thought Makoto, because at least he didn’t have to deal with irate forty-year-old misopedists complaining about screaming babies in the building while he _held_ the screaming baby that had caused the complaint in the first place. Her wail had lessened to more of a sulky hiccupping cry. She rubbed her face into his shirt as he walked into the kitchen, humming under his breath. On the eleventh round, she subsided into a quiet frown.

“I bet you only cry to be contrary,” Makoto said to her and her lip wobbled. He gave her his finger to inspect, humming the first bars of _sakura nagashi_ under his breath. Tiredness crept into his bones and eyelids, but Makoto let his routine take auto-pilot and walked until Asami was drowsily blinking at his fingers, her hands still clutching the knuckles. Moonlight edged past the curtains and pooled on the floor, throwing shadowed corners into greater darkness. He sang _everybody finds love in the end_ softly to his daughter as he went to the windows and pushed them open. Cool air rushed in and sent the curtains billowing, white and silver framing the starry sky outside. He sighed, turned, blinked; and looked up to find Rin sitting at the door, leant against the frame, and watching him.

Makoto made a face. “If you were going to get up, you should’ve just taken your turn.”

Rin rolled his eyes. “It’s the weekend today, stop griping. I needed to pee anyways.”

“Lazy,” accused Makoto and Rin’s smile grew into a small laugh. He raised his hands in surrender as he stood and padded towards them. Asami’s drowsiness had left with Makoto’s cease of motion; she stared up at them with wide eyes.

“I was going back to bed,” said Rin, leaning against the window sill and smiling at the sky. He made a striking figure, dim and dark against the white curtains, a few lights from the neighboring buildings giving the hint of a glow to his skin. Rin looked up and Makoto held Asami closer to his speeding heart. “But I felt like coming to the kitchen for some reason.”

He moved closer and whispered, “You looked kinda beautiful at the window right now.”

Makoto smiled. “You spoke my mind.”

They looked at each other for a second, the beat of a heart, and then moved in sync. Their foreheads touched but their lips kissed a tiny fist instead. Rin laughed as he pulled away, mock-glaring at Asami stretching at the inopportune moment.

“Okay, we get it, no PDA,” said Rin, frowning at Asami. She giggled.

Makoto felt as light as the moon.

Rin bent and kissed her face, her eyes closing automatically. Makoto sighed when she kept them closed and snuggled into his chest.

“You have an unfair amount of control over her,” Makoto complained as Rin leaned back again, grinning in satisfaction. “You should take more turns than me.”

Rin laughed again. “You were the one who insisted we do turns with night shifts.”

Makoto pouted. “I’m too sleepy to argue with you. And anyway–”

“And anyway,” Rin interrupted. “She’s asleep.”

They looked down at the baby in Makoto’s arms; face turned toward him and lip jutting out in an unconscious pout, echoing her father. Her fist clutched Makoto’s shirt possessively. Rin leaned close quickly as Makoto opened his mouth and kissed him at the corner of his lips, moving swiftly and smoothly away when Makoto shut up.

“I’ll make it up to you in the morning.” At Makoto’s raised eyebrow, he chuckled. “I’ll make breakfast. You can sleep in.”

Makoto’s smile was sleepy and full of inside jokes. “I love you too, Rin.”

 

 

 


End file.
